CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – The Missouri Valley Conference schedule enters its eighth game tonight when the Purple Aces visit UNI.  One of the weird aspects of the Aces schedule so far is that through the first seven games, UE has not faced four conference opponents – Bradley, UNI, Southern Illinois and Valparaiso.
 
That story will change over the next seven days with the schedule seeing UE visit UNI before welcoming Bradley and Valparaiso at the Ford Center over the next week. 
 
Evansville is tied with UNI and three other schools for fifth in the conference with a 3-4 record.  The Panthers are led by freshman A.J. Green, who is averaging 15.4 points per game.  The Cedar Falls native has upped his average to 15.7 PPG in league games, ranking 4^th.
 
Defense will be the story against the Panthers.  Evansville has scored over 57 points just once in the last ten games against UNI.  In the final two meetings last season, UE averaged just 45.5 points, including 41 on February 13 inside the McLeod Center.  Through its seven MVC outings, the Panthers are allowing a league-low 65.6 points per game.
 
Offensively, UNI has the fewest turnovers in the conference and can shoot well from outside, standing at 8.1 3-pointers per game.
 
For the Aces, John Hall has been on top of his game, averaging 13.3 points and 7.8 rebounds over the last four contests.  Hall continues to pace the conference with 8.2 caroms per game.  Even more impressive has been his accuracy.  The Philadelphia product has connected on 21 of his last 34 attempts overall, an astounding 61.8%.  Over his last three games, Hall has hit 8 out of 12 3-point tries.
 
Another Ace who has been gaining confidence as the season has progressed is Evan Kuhlman.  He has hit 10 of his last 20 3-pointers in conference games.
 
While UE will be without head coach Walter McCarty tonight, the team will not miss a beat with assistants Todd Lickliter, Matthew Graves and Terrence Commodore handling the coaching duties.  Lickliter was in charge of scouting the Panthers and had a 2-1 mark against them when he was the head coach at Iowa. 
 
Game time is 7 p.m.
 

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